Ghost Train
by ravenclaw-scorceress29
Summary: A murder occured on a train in the early 1900's but no one was arrested for it. Twenty years later, the same train is the subject of strange happenings. Only the Doctor and Luna can solve the situation.
1. prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who, Torchwood or any thing associated with the brand. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this. I only own Luna and the plot

Ghost Train

Prologue

The countryside of 1920's Yorkshire was deep in darkness as the late night train steamed towards the city of York. It was a dreadful night. The rain was battering the ground and drops were bouncing of the shiny green metal of the magnificent steam train. On board, most of the passengers were trying to sleep despite the noise. They slept with their head rested either against the glass of the windows or the back of the seats. One person however wasn't sleeping. Roland Howard was a journalist for the Yorkshire times and was investigating a mystery that had gone on unsolved.

Twenty years earlier, a girl had been travelling on the very train Roland was travelling on. She had been a promising young lady. She was born in to a wealthy family, was very pretty and very sociable. The day she was on board she had been with a gentleman who her family trusted. But part way through the journey, she disappeared. She was found only by staff. But she was dead. There was no sign of how and by whom. The police decided she had committed suicide. However, Roland Howard was sure there was more to this story. Hence, twenty years later, he was aboard the train now to explore.

The train was long with five passenger carriages, the green locomotive at the front and one luggage carriage bringing up the rear. Being in the second carriage, Roland set to work looking for any details that could be important. He measured the height and width of the doors and windows, experimented with viewing angles and used a magnifying glass to look for any missing clues. Once he explored carriage two, he moved to carriage three.

Each carriage was lit up by candles in glass containers and the passengers could block out the light to their compartments using the blinds. At this time all the blinds were down. As Roland walked through the carriage, he felt the air go cold. His hairs on his arms and neck stood on end. Suddenly, the lights went out and the air whistled. Roland felt stiff as he turned around to where he had come from. But there was nothing there.

"Just my imagination." He thought to himself.

Then he turned back to the way he was going. He saw her. Before him was stood a girl. She looked in her late teens and was wearing short sleeved dress with a skirt all the way to the floor, a style seen twenty years previously. But there was one thing Roland was stunned by. He could see right through the woman. She was a ghost. She hadn't spotted him yet as she gazing out of the window.

Then Roland recognised her. He pulled a photo. He glanced from the photo to the ghost a few times then gasped. It was the same girl. Suddenly she looked up and stared him.

"My name is Roland Howard," He nervously said, "I'm trying to find out about how you died."

The ghost said nothing but started to walk towards him. He froze with fear as she got closer. Once she less than an arms length from him, she stopped. He watched as she gazed over his body looking at him. He was quite young, early twenties, with short brown hair and grey eyes. He was quite handsome, dressed in a grey pinstripe suit. He stayed still waiting to see what the ghost would do.

Suddenly, the train was filled with a scream. Staff and passengers were woken and the guardsman ran through the train to the third carriage. There he found Roland flat on the floor. The young journalist was alive but he was stiff with fear. His eyes were wide open and his skin was pale.

"What happened sir?" The guard asked.

"T-the g-ghost," Roland replied shakily, "It just flew at me!"

The Guardsman looked up at the rest of the crowd in shock. What did this ghost want?

* * *

**So what's going on? Don't worry, the Doctor will get on the case.**


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who (I wouldn't be here other wise) or any of the locations mentioned in this story. Please enjoy.

Ghost Train

Chapter 1

A few days later, York town market was being host to two wide eyed travellers. The Doctor was strolling through this quaint little market, sharing the experience with his companion, Luna Edwards. As ever, the last of the Time Lords was dressed in his favourite long coat, his brown pinstripe suit and white shoes. Luna was wearing an outfit fashionable with the 1920's, comprised of a light blue dress with a pleated skirt. She had been travelling with him for a while now but never got tired of seeing new worlds. There was so much for her mind to investigate and her huge amounts of curiosity had the Doctor extra vigilant to her safety. On her first trip with him, she had seen something that she had to see so wondered off without even thinking. The Doctor took nearly two hours to find her, fearing that she was hurt. But now, she was much more careful.

This particular trip was a welcome change to being chased by monsters on a strange planet. Pleasant town folk were selling and buying all around them and there was a large sense of community. It installed a warm sensation in Luna's heart. Seeing a time when the universe was still so small and things were more innocent was refreshing and magical. As they walked through the street, the Doctor was telling Luna about meeting Queen Victoria and a werewolf.

"And then, after I practically saved her life," He said, "She exiled me!"

"Really?!" Luna laughed, "But you still come back."

"Well, I don't visit her reign any more."

"Good job that it didn't put you off visiting Earth altogether."

"Why is that?"

"Because I wouldn't have ever met you"

Luna smiled shyly as she realised what she had just said. He looked at her curiously as she blushed. An awkward silence fell between them.

Then to end the silence, the sound of train whistle rang through in to Luna's ears. Her eyes lit up as she realised what it meant.

"Ooh, that's a steam train," She stated, "I've always wanted to ride on one."

Before even thinking, she dashed in the direction of the whistle.

"Luna! Wait!" The Doctor shouted.

He sighed, amused, and ran after her. Despite the skirt and heels, Luna was quite light on her feet, creating a bit of distance between her and the Doctor. But his long legs meant he caught up fast. They ran around a corner to meet York train station. It was a grand looking station with a large canopy spanning across six platforms. At two of the platforms, steam trains were sat waiting for their passengers to disembark or board.

"Oh Beautiful," The Doctor grinned, "A proper Victorian station."

"And those trains are just magnificent." Luna gasped.

The Doctor spotted the starriness in Luna's already sparkly blues eyes. She really loved this. This gave him an idea. He took her hand and led her to one of the trains. The one he selected was metallic green with shiny black wheels and chimney. The carriages attached were red with black roofs. As they approached, a station guard stepped in their path.

"Tickets please, sir."

The Doctor pulled out his physic paper and handed it to him. The guard took the paper and read in. He then looked up, smiled and handed in back to the time lord.

"Have a pleasant journey, Doctor, Miss." He said, opening a door.

"Thank you." Luna smiled.

She stepped inside first, the Doctor closing the door behind them as he followed.

Inside the carriage, there was a set up that seemed to represent a drawing room. There were two large comfy couches in the middle, surrounding a coffee table. Around the room were small tables with two chairs per table. Luna was stunned.

"This is so much nicer than being on the tube," She said, "People would properly use the underground more if the insides were like this."

As the two friends admired their new surroundings, they were joined by other passengers, who all looked very dignified and middle class. The women were all dressed similarly to Luna but it was easy to see who the young girl was and who the middle aged ones were. The men were dressed in either breeches and waistcoats or tweed suits. They all settled down and started to talk. Once the train had every one on board, all the exterior doors were shut fast, the train let off a whistle and they set off.

It was a lovely, cosy atmosphere in the lounge as the Doctor and Luna sat listening to some of the conversations. Luna found it refreshing to see that some people, who clearly had never met, were willing to talk to others about music, politics and the weather. It was surreal to see people from the twenties talking about subjects talked about in the twenty-first century. But then they overheard one conversation between two men a few feet from the two travellers.

"You realise this is the exact train," One said, "On which that journalist went mad."

"I know," the other said, "But do you believe what he says?"

"Of course not, it's absolute nonsense."

"Ghosts indeed"

This made Luna's eyes widen. The Doctor heard it too. Intrigued, he stood up and walked over. Luna was on his tail.

"Excuse me," He announced, "I thought I heard you say ghosts."

"Then you heard correct, sir."

"Surely you've heard."

"Sorry, not from around these parts. I'm the Doctor."

"And I'm Luna."

"So anyway, this ghost, what actually happened?"

"Well, a young journalist was on this train a week ago. He was walking through the passageway when something happened."

"No one actually saw what happen."

"But soon the carriages filled a scream. The passengers ran to investigate to find the man babbling, white, and shaking. He claimed to have seen a ghost which attacked him."

As the men finished his story, the rest of the passengers admitted to hearing about the events too. As they started to discuss and share opinions, the Doctor spotted a man acting peculiar. The man was sat at the far end of the room in a chair. He looked uncomfortable, trying not to look at the other passengers and shifting in his seat. The Doctor didn't vocalise what he saw but lightly elbowed Luna. She looked at him as he gestured to the suspicious man. She could see what he meant, a strange feeling of mistrust sat in her head. Then without warning, the lights went out. Something wasn't right on board.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who (I wouldn't be here other wise) or any of the locations mentioned in this story. Please enjoy.

Ghost Train

Chapter 2

The sudden blackout on board instantly created serious tension. All the passengers seemed anxious, as if speaking of the ghost had caused. Before they could panic and as carefully as possible, the Doctor pulled out the sonic screwdriver and brought some of the lights back on. Luna stayed close, helping to hide the trick. Also this was a perfect opportunity to ask questions.

"So, what do you think?" She asked, "Could that journalist have really seen a ghost?"

"Who knows what he saw," The Doctor replied, "It could've been a hoax."

"But do ghost exist?" She asked.

"There's no real scientific evidence of them but some stories seem to very real."

"Have you seen ghosts?"

"Not real ones."

"I remember when the ghosts appeared across the world. It was too strange. Then they turned into the Cybermen."

Luna looked at him. She could see the heartbreak on his face. He had told about her what happened to Rose that day. But that was one reason for ghost not being real.

"But there's no way that the journalist was found in the state he was in without some influence other than his own." The Doctor pointed out.

"So something must have attacked him." Luna replied.

"It looks likely."

Any normal person would have been made nervous now, but Luna was now very interested.

Once all the lights were back on, the passengers all sat down and calmed down. The tension from talking about ghosts was still there. It made a few people uncomfortable, obvious by the restlessness in the way they sat. After a few minutes, Luna finally got bored and headed off to explore the train. The Doctor watched carefully. He was tempted to follow but the suspicious man from early was still sat by the opposite window. He really wanted to watch him so trusted Luna would be ok.

As Luna strolled along the carriage, she took in her surroundings. The passage was only just wide enough for two small people to walk through and was light by the sun passing through the large windows. The wood she could see was dark mahogany, the curtains and carpet were dark red with gold detail and the cushions she could see in the compartments were dark green. It reminded her of the Hogwarts Express.

"This is amazing," She smiled, "Mum would love this."

Luna's mother, Victoria Edwards, wasn't biologically related to Luna. She had found Luna wrapped up on her doorstep. Luna was only a few months old and there was so sign of her biological parents. Victoria took Luna in, having no children herself, and raised her. She was well aware that her adoptive daughter was travelling with the Doctor. The time lord had actually introduced himself to her, after Luna had helped him stop an alien when they met, and asked for her permission to take Luna with him. Victoria agreed, knowing how probing Luna's mind was. The young traveller called her mum nearly every week.

Continuing her tour of the train, Luna came to the door between the second and third carriage. As she went to open the door, she heard someone call out miss. She turned to see a girl, younger than herself, dressed in a serving girl's uniform. She wore a black dress with a white pinafore. She had dark brown hair and olive toned skin and dark eyes and looked nervous.

"Excuse me?" Luna replied.

"I'm so sorry, Miss," the girl said, "But you mustn't go through there."

"Why not? What's through there?"

"It's dangerous in there. You'll be hurt."

Luna was stunned and bewildered. What was the matter?

"Just tell me what's through there?"

"It's the ghost, Miss."

This took Luna back a bit. This girl was claiming that there was a ghost.

"What's your name?" Luna asked.

"Maria, Miss," The girl replied, "Maria O'Leary."

"I'm Luna. So, you've seen the ghost?"

"Oh yes. It was only for a few minutes but yes I did. It's a young girl. She stalks carriage three, looking for something."

Talking about the ghost clearly upset Maria, she started crying and shaking. Luna stepped closer and hugged her.

Back in the lounge carriage, the conversation of the passengers went from the ghost to something more sinister.

"Of course if there is such a ghost," One woman said, "It could be to do with the murder twenty years ago."

The Doctor's ears were alerted to that sentence. He turned to them and asked what they meant. At first they just stared at him as if he was an idiot for not knowing.

"I'm not from around here," He replied, "Just bring me up to date."

"Very well then. About twenty years ago, there was young girl travelling on this train to Harrogate from York."

"The same journey we're taking."

"Exactly. Anyway, she was with her fiancé and in the night she was asleep. The next morning, her body was found dead by her fiancé. There were no marks on her, making the police think she was strangled."

"And was anyone caught?"

"No, that's what's most tragic, the killer was never discovered. But now this ghost has appeared. Maybe that young journalist was trying to revisit the case."

Now the Doctor was a bit worried. He carefully looked over his shoulder at the mystery man he had been watching. By now the man had realised that the Doctor was watching him. He tried not to make eye contact with the time lord.

Meanwhile, Luna and her new friend had finished hugging. Although Maria was still upset, Luna wanted to reassure her and prove there was nothing to fear. Also she wanted to investigate carriage three.

"Maria," She said softly, "Take my hand and come with me."

"Miss," Maria sniffed, "We can't go through there."

"Listen; if there is a ghost, I have a friend who can stop it. But I don't think we need to worry, even if there is."

Maria stared at Luna for minute then reluctantly agreed to follow her. She took Luna's hand and the more confident girl pushed the door open.

Carriage three wasn't any different to the previous carriage in any way. Luna was already getting sceptical. Then the whole carriage went cold and something made a shiver run right up Luna's spine. Suddenly the lights in the carriage went out. Maria tensed and started shaking. Luna's confidence waned slightly. But she wasn't going to give up now. Suddenly, they heard a loud bang. Both screamed and spun around. Luna's heart was racing, her mouth felt dry and a sickly feeling was gathering in her stomach. Then when they turned back around, there it was. A few metres away from them was the ghost. It looked like a girl Luna's age, complete with legs, arms, hands and feet but they could see right through her. She was staring out the window longingly.

"That's the ghost!" Maria gasped in a hushed tone.

Luna's curious nature compelled her to step slowly closer and try and communicate with it.

"Uh, hello," She called, trying to hide her nerves, "My name is Luna Edwards. I was hoping to find you."

"Don't attract its attention, Miss." Maria hissed, "It will attack us!"

Ignoring her, Luna kept trying.

"Are you looking for something? We may be able to help."

Then the ghost turned to face her. Its expression was sombre and unimpressed. Luna froze, hoping she wasn't pushing her luck. She had no idea what a ghost might do to her. Suddenly, the ghost's expression changed. It narrowed its eyes and now looked furious. Then it screamed. The scream was high-pitched and loud. It then flew at them at immense speed. Luna and Maria both screamed in fear and ran as fast as possible out of the carriage door.

"DOCTOR!"


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who (I wouldn't be here other wise) or any of the locations mentioned in this story. Please enjoy.

Ghost Train

Chapter 3

"DOCTOR!"

Luna's panicked scream echoed through the carriages, making the Doctor pause for a moment. He then sprinted out of the lounge, followed by other passengers who also heard the screaming girls. They only got through one door when they saw Luna and Maria running towards them. Without thinking, Luna dived straight into to the Doctor's arms, wrapping her own arms around him.

"Luna! Are you alright?" He asked, worried, "What's happened?"

"Doctor, it was the ghost!" She insisted, panting, "I saw the ghost! It was right there in front of me! It just flew at us! Oh Doctor!"

The Doctor was slightly shocked. Luna was shaking against him, her words were spoken so quickly there were almost incoherent and her breathing was laboured.

"It's alright now," He assured her, "You've ok."

"Ghosts indeed." One of the male passengers snorted, "What a ridiculous story! These two girls are just making it up. They're hysterical."

Luna looked at him in disbelief. She was certain of what she saw and was almost furious that someone would dismiss it. But it wasn't just him. The other passengers started to make it seem like she and Maria had made the whole story up. She turned to the Doctor listening to all this too. His expression didn't tell her much.

"You believe me, don't you Doctor?" She asked. "I swear I'm telling the truth. I really did see the ghost. How can…"

"Luna," He interrupted, "I believe you. Now come on. Let's see this ghost."

"No, sir," Maria spoke up, "Don't make her go back in there."

"It's ok, Maria. The Doctor knows what he's doing."

So once Luna had calmed down, she led the Doctor and some of the other passengers to carriage three.

Once in the carriage, Luna put herself as close to the Doctor as possible, the safest place to be at that moment. But there was nothing visible in the carriage. Luna's heart sank. Now she really looked insane. The other passengers didn't even have to think about if they agreed.

"You see? Just fantasy tales."

"There is no such a thing as ghosts."

"That girl is just mad."

Those comments really hurt. Poor Luna had never felt so ashamed. Then the Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and put his glasses on. He used his trusty tool to scan the carriage for anything that could tell him what Luna really saw and how he could stop it. Luna watched intently, hoping he would find something to confirm that the ghost existed. She could almost feel the other passengers staring cynically at her. Maria was hiding amongst them, almost distancing herself from Luna.

"I don't have time for this." One passenger snorted.

There were some mumbles as the other passengers agreed and all filed out of the carriage leaving Luna and the Doctor.

Suddenly Luna was alerted to an eager exclaim from the Doctor.

"Ah Ha!" He almost shouted.

Luna turned to see him crouch right down on to his chest and stomach. He was looking at a section of the floor. Luna stepped closer, trying not to stand on him.

"Have you found something?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's just here."

Luna crouched beside him and looked at the part of the floor he was pointing at. On the surface was a substance that looked sticky but translucent. The Doctor pulled out a pencil and used the rubber end to dab in the substance and bring up to eye level. He examined the substance then sniffed it.

"Here, have a sniff." He offered to Luna.

She hesitantly leaned closer and smelt it. It smelt like burnt wallpaper paste.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Its ectoplasm," He explained, "The stuff ghosts apparently leave behind. It helps them to materialise. But I've never seen it in this form before. I caught a glimpse of it in its vapour form."

"So the ghost I saw was a real one?!"

"It looks like so."

Luna felt a slight relief as there was possible evidence.

Suddenly there was a chill in the air and their ears filled with a piercing chime. They looked down the carriage to see the ghost herself. This time, she was staring right at Luna and the Doctor. They both stood up, the Doctor slightly in front of Luna for protection. The ghost floated staring at them as they stared back. Suddenly it charged very quickly at them. Luna went to run, trying to pull the Doctor with her. But the Time Lord stood solidly. Luna could feel her heart beating rapidly as she tried to figure out what to do. But she didn't have to do anything. When the ghost was inches from the Doctor's face, it stopped. There was no fear in his eyes or in his body language. He took his glasses off and put them in his pocket, placing both of his hands in pockets too. Luna stood behind him stunned.

"W-what just happened?" She gasped.

"You did not move," The ghost spoke, "There is no hint of fear in your face either."

"That is because I am not afraid of you."

Luna was stunned to hear how human the ghost sounded. The ghost spoke with a smooth northern accent with perfect pronunciation. In her living existence, the ghost must have been a part of a posh family, just by the sound of her voice and her dress.

"Now, I'm not happy at all with you," The Doctor said sternly, "its one thing to haunt a train and cause some people to go mad but it's another thing to scare the hell out my friend. Now, I want you to tell us why you are causing so much trouble."

"I don't have to answer to some bossy little man like you," She retorted, "You wouldn't understand anyway."

"Try me. I travel a lot so I've seen all sorts of weird things, some wonderful and some that are less so. I've learnt from my travels that no one terrifies or causes harm to others without some sort of motive. The Daleks want to be the sole existence of the universe, some species try to make money and others just want an easy meal. So what is your purpose for being here?"

The ghost stared at the Doctor, seeing that he really wasn't going to let her get away. Luna stood watching, realising this was turning in to a stand off. The Doctor wasn't prepared for messing about right now. His eyes were narrowed, focused only on the ghost. It was this amazing determination and fire that left Luna in awe.

But it looked like this stand off wasn't going to get any of them anywhere. Luna could see that she would have to try and break the ice. She stepped forward so that she was just behind the Doctor.

"Why don't you tell us your name?" She suggested.

The ghost stared straight in to Luna's ice blue eyes and could see that the time traveller had more fear in her than the Doctor. However, she could see that Luna was genuinely wanted to help. The Doctor glanced over his shoulder at Luna then back at the ghost. His expression softened slightly. Finally, the ghost seemed to relax.

"My name was, and still is, Ruth Bennett," She finally introduced herself; "I was born to a wealthy family which owned a large area of Yorkshire."

"So how did you end up dead?" The Doctor asked, "Who killed you?"

"I was travelling from York to go home with my fiancé, Gray."

She paused looking heartbroken. Both the Doctor and Luna could sense where this story was heading.

"Was it Gray who killed you?" Luna asked.

Ruth looked up at Luna and stared wide eyed at her. At first it looked like she was going to shout at the living girl but then her head fell again.

"He crept up on me as I slept and strangled me. I thought he cared and that I could trust him."

Luna could feel the heartbreak in Ruth's voice and felt guilty for even thinking that she was trying to hurt anyone spitefully.

Suddenly Ruth started weeping with a high pitched, haunting tone. Then she turned away and vanished as she walked away. Luna and the Doctor were left slightly stunned.

"We've got to find out who murdered her." Luna said sombrely.

"I think we need to start investigating properly, before someone else gets hurt." The Doctor agreed darkly.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who (I wouldn't be here other wise) or any of the locations mentioned in this story. Please enjoy.

Ghost train

Chapter 4

Once the ghost of Ruth Bennett had disappeared, the Doctor ushered Luna back to the lounge. Neither of them spoke but there was no need to. The Doctor was wise enough to spot that his companion was in shock and that she needed time absorb the new information they had. He took her hand to which she looked up at him, her icy blue eyes full of emotion. He gave her small smile then led her back to tell the other passengers what they had found. The lounge was calm now with most of the passengers sat down on chairs. Some where stood up, leaning against the furniture but all had alcoholic drinks in their hands.

"Are you going to tell them that the ghost is real?" Luna asked.

"It wouldn't be such a good idea," The Doctor replied, "The way they reacted when you said you'd seen the ghost was evidence enough that they don't like anything they don't understand. So until I can get more proof, I have to careful what I say."

"So what are we going to do?"

"We should try and investigate the murder. That way we can be doing something worth while."

As the Doctor spoke, his eyes fell on the strange man again. He was now standing against a wall. He looked relaxed at first but then noticed the Doctor looking over at him. He tried to avoid the stare from the Time Lord but it was obvious he was trying to hide something. Luna too had noticed this man.

A few minutes later Luna found herself sat in one of the compartments of the train alone with the Doctor. What Ruth had said had really left Luna feeling upset for her. The thought of loving and trusting someone only for that person to suddenly turn and kill made her think about how Ruth must have felt when the murder happened. But why would he have killed her? Then her mind shot back to man in the lounge. The way he shifted in his seat when the Doctor looked at him.

'Mind you, I feel that when he looks at me too,' she thought to herself, 'although my reason is properly completely different.'

Luna looked at the Doctor and could see the concentration on his face.

"Penny for your thoughts" she finally said.

"I reckon that the bloke we saw before is connected to Ruth's murder," He replied, sitting up and folding his arms, "When the ghost and murder were first mentioned, he started squirming. Now, unless he has a serious problem with the scary stuff, I think he's trying to hide something."

"Yeah, I was thinking that too. Do you think that he could be her fiancé, Gray?"

"That is very likely."

"So how are we to prove it?"

"We need to find out who he actually is first. If that man isn't Gray, then we are back to square one."

They then sat in silence for a few moments while the Doctor tried to make a plan.

"Maybe some of the passengers today will know something? Maybe some of them were on the train when the murder happened. We could ask them."

"Ah, carry out personal investigating, word of mouth. Good thinking, Luna."

They both smiled then headed back to the lounge.

The passengers hadn't moved much from when the two friends saw them last. Luna stood back as the Doctor took centre stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen," He announced, "Your assistance is needed."

They all looked up and faced the Doctor. They seemed taken back by his boldness. He pulled out the physic paper and introduced himself as Detective Smith and that he was investigating the murder of Ruth Bennett from twenty years ago.

"So, I need to ask if any of you were on board this train when it happened."

At first, the lounge was silent. Luna noticed that the man she and the Doctor had been watching was scratching the back of his neck, obviously nervous. Then a woman sitting on the couch cleared her throat. It caught everyone's attention. She looked in her late thirties, was dressed in a white frock and looked nervous. But there was a determination her voice.

"I was, Mr Smith." She replied.

"And your name?"

"Joyce Evans, Sir."

"Joyce. So Joyce, what did you see?"

"I didn't actually see the murder. But I remember seeing the girl, Ruth Bennett. She was sleeping a few compartments from mine."

"Did you ever speak to her? Or see her fiancé?"

"I never spoke to either of them. But it was obvious they loved each other. They were never apart for long but any one could see that he was the one in charge of the relationship."

"So what did you see of the murder?" Luna finally asked.

"I woke in the middle of the night. I could hear someone walking outside my door. I peered through the window and saw dark figure pass by, heading towards Miss Bennett's room. I looked out of the door and saw the person enter. But I heard nothing. The next thing I remember is her fiancé finding the body."

The Doctor and Luna looked at each other. Then Luna looked at the strange man again. This time though, his persona had changed. He was staring right at Luna now with a threatening glare. It was putting her slightly on edge.

"But you didn't get a good look at the person?" The Doctor asked, gently.

Joyce just shook her head. She started to crying, saying she could've saved Ruth by stopping the person. The Doctor crouched at her side and assured her that it wasn't her fault.

Although Joyce had confirmed to events of the murder, the Doctor and Luna were no closer to finding out the murderer. Although the stranger in the lounge looked most likely, neither knew who he was or had any proof that he was involved. It was beginning to frustrate them both. They had now returned to their compartment to mull things over. The Doctor lay across the seats on one side of the compartment, resting his head against the arm rest while sat of the other seats watching him. His eyes were tight shut and his brow was furrowed. Luna knew he was trying to think but sitting around was getting on her nerves.

"What are we going to do, Doctor?" She finally asked, "We can't just sit here. We'll being arriving at in Harrogate soon and if that bloke is Ruth's fiancé, he'll get away. Then the poor girl will be haunting this train for another twenty years."

"You think I don't know that!" The Doctor interrupted firmly.

This took Luna back a bit. She had heard him use a tone like that before but never towards her. It hurt a little. But almost as soon as he spoke he knew it was out of order. He sat up instantly and went and sat next to her.

"I'm sorry Luna," He said in a much softer tone, "It's me. I'm old and thick and my head is full of stuff."

"I'm sorry too," She replied, smiling a little, "I was going on at you at bit there."

"I just can't believe I haven't figured this out yet."

"You must be getting rusty."

They both laughed then gave each other a warm, heartfelt hug. Luna smiled to herself as she felt the Doctor's arms around her. She knew he didn't mean to snap at her, this situation was frustrating him as much as it was her.

"So what are we going to do then?" She asked.

"We are going to talk to the staff again. We need to get more information about the night of the murder, the passenger on board and the fiancé."

"Well, I'll go and find Ruth's ghost, then and see what information I can get from her."

He looked right at her. His eyes looked concerned. Luna was very important to him and, if they were sharing a train with a murderous maniac, she could get in a lot of danger. But she wasn't an idiot.

"Ok, just be careful, Luna. I want you back in one piece."

The tone of his voice was gentle but warning. He didn't sound like he was being overbearing but Luna knew he was worried for her.

"I'll be ok, Doctor," She smiled, "I promise."

Then without much warning, Luna gave the Doctor a quick peck on the cheek then left the compartment. The Doctor was stunned at first but then his stunned expression turned in to a smile. Then he stood up and went to interview the staff.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who (I wouldn't be here other wise) or any of the locations mentioned in this story. Please enjoy.

Ghost train

Chapter 5

As the Doctor walked through to the front of the train, he passed through the lounge. It was emptier than earlier but there were a few people still there. The Doctor quickly spotted that the strange man he and Luna had been watching was gone. There was no sign of him in the lounge. This made the Doctor very worried. Where was he? As the Doctor stood looking around the lounge looking worried, one of the attendants spotted him and approached.

"Mr Smith," He spoke, "Can I help you, sir? You seem troubled."

The Doctor turned to him. This man was as tall as the Doctor, slightly wider and looked in his fifties. He was dressed in black trousers, black coat and tails and wore a white shirt. His eyes were hazel and his face carried a dark grey beard. He spoke with a definite Yorkshire accent.

"Were you working on this train on the night of Ruth Bennett's murder?" The Doctor asked.

"Aye, I was indeed, Sir. I was a young lad then but I remember that night."

"Then can you tell me what you know about the fiancé."

"Oh you mean Mr Gray Molyneux. He was quite a handsome lad, son of a factory owner. The Molyneux's were notorious for being very greedy in expanding their empire. They would do anything to get what they wanted. And young Mr Gray seemed the type too. It's a real wonder why Miss Bennett fell for his charms."

"Do you think he could've murdered her?"

"Ooh no sir. He was a little toe-rag but he was a good god fearing man."

Although the servant was convinced, the Doctor wasn't. He knew too well that people could be deceptive.

Meanwhile, Luna finally returned to carriage three looking for the ghost. It didn't take her long. Ruth Bennett's ghost was just at the other end of the carriage from her. This time she was looking out of the window towards the horizon and with a heart broken look on her face. Luna carefully walked closer and cleared her throat.

"Ruth," She called softly, "Its Luna Edwards, again."

The Ghost looked up and met Luna's eyes. She seemed surprised to see the living girl.

"What brings you back?" She asked, "And where is the male accompanying you?"

"The Doctor and I are trying to help you. He has gone to get more information. And I have some questions for you."

"What could I possibly tell you?"

"I wanted to know more about your fiancé, his name, what he looked like, anything."

"Gray Molyneux. He was everything to me."

Luna smiled sympathetically. She understood what Ruth meant. There was someone in her own life that meant everything to her, a certain tall skinny man in a pinstripe suit.

Her mind returned to the reason for finding Ruth's ghost. Luna asked her what Gray looked like all those years ago.

"He was a handsome man, Miss Edwards, more handsome than anything that I've ever seen."

Luna noticed the starry eyes on Ruth's face and almost made a comment but bit her tongue, remembering the seriousness of this situation.

"Carry on." Luna encouraged.

"He was a tall man but with strong shoulders. He had bright blue eyes, high cheek bones and dark blonde hair that always swept across his forehead. He also had a distinct nose. It used to be perfectly straight but he broke it. It has a slight bulge on the side of his the nose. Despite that, he was a handsome man."

"What age would he be now if he's still alive?"

"He'd be fifty now. He was a few years older than me but I thought we could get over that."

"Why do you think that he would want to kill you?"

Ruth then stared sadly straight in to Luna's eyes. It made Luna uncomfortable and stiff. Then Ruth started to describe to her what her theory was. She told Luna about how Gray's family own a large amount of businesses and land, the same story as the servant told the Doctor. But there was more.

"My family owned a large part of Yorkshire and a very successful farming establishment. The Molyneux's had a large amount of interest in it all. They approached my father a few times to make a deal."

As Luna listened to Ruth, they were unaware of a shadow creeping towards them through the darkness.

Back in the lounge and the Doctor was talking some more with the servant he had met. So far he had only learnt that the Molyneux's were rich like the Bennett's but they were ruthless in getting what they wanted. He knew that Ruth had told him and Luna that Gray had killed her but this servant seemed to disagree with this. There was very little else for the Doctor to get out of this mystery.

"Why would anyone want to kill Miss Bennett?

"Properly for her family's land and money, but she was smart girl. I'm sure she would know who she could trust. That's why she chose Mr Molyneux. The poor lad. It must have taken a lot of courage to for him to board this train today."

Suddenly, the Doctor's eyes widened.

"Do you mean Gray Molyneux is on this train? Right now?"

"Yes Sir. He's been sat over there by that window."

The servant pointed to the seat window that the strange man had been standing. The Doctor's heart started beating rapidly. The man that he and Luna had been watching was the man who killed Ruth Bennett. And now he was gone.

Back in Carriage three, Ruth had more to tell Luna.

"So why did you started courting with Gray?"

"We met in a bar in Harrogate one evening. He was charming and a proper gentleman. He didn't seem at all interested in my father's fortune."

"He never asked about how much your family had?"

"Well, he did ask if I were to inherit any of it."

"And where you?"

"Yes. And foolishly I told him."

"But if he wanted your family's estate, why did he kill you? He would've been allowed a part of the inheritance wouldn't he?"

"But not as much as I wanted." A voice spoke.

Suddenly Luna heard the click of a gun by her ear. She froze, terrified to turn around.

"You're Gray Molyneux, aren't you?" She asked, trying to hold her nerve.

"What a clever little girl you are." Gray whispered, coldly in her ear, "A bit too clever for your own good."

"Gray, please, leave her alone!" Ruth demanded.

"Look, I'm trying to help. Just let me face you."

There was silence as Gray contemplated Luna's request.

'I need to stall him until the Doctor gets here.'

Then a few seconds later, although to Luna it felt like much longer, Gray took the gun away from Luna's head and let her turn to look at him.

Ruth's description of the young Gray Molyneux was almost matched before her. Only now, he was grey haired, unshaven and less well defined than in his youth. But his bright blue eyes, high cheek bones and broken nose were still there. He stood pointing the gun straight at Luna. The young traveller tried to control her breathing and heart beats but her fear was making it hard. Ruth tried to beg her once fiancé to leave Luna alone but the murderous man just laughed.

"Not a chance. She'll just find that friend of hers and have me arrested."

"But…!"

"Shut it. Go and disappear to your grave."

Then with the piercing scream, Ruth Bennett's ghost vanished.

'Maybe she'll go and get the Doctor,' Luna prayed to herself, 'I hope he hurries up.'

"So, Miss Edwards, it's just you and me. So no one will be able to see what will happen to you."

"But, before you do kill me, could I just have some questions answered? It'll just make my passing easier."

Gray stared at Luna curiously. Though she was young, she was unlike anything he had ever seen. She had an intelligent and inquisitive brain; she had a compassion unseen in his circle of friends and she was stronger than most girls like her.

Then he nodded, signalling that he would let her speak some more. However he didn't lower his gun. Luna tried not to take her eyes off it.

"So, what do you ask? Come now, speak." Gray demanded.

"You said that you wanted more land," Luna replied, slowly, "And that merely marrying Ruth wasn't enough. Why? Your family owned nearly half of Yorkshire. Surely you would inherit enough."

"Ah, but I wanted more. The land left by my father would be shared with my brother. I wanted to have an estate of my own."

"So why kill Ruth? "

As Luna asked questions, Gray was stepping towards her. This was forcing her to walk backwards away from him. She wanted to look over her shoulder but daren't through fear of being shot.

"Ruth was Mr Bennett's only child. His wife died after Ruth started school. So there was no one else to hand the estate over to. I planned to get as close as possible to the family. Then when I killed his dear Ruthie, I would act the grieving son-in-law. I planned to then offer to buy the Bennett's estate for my own."

He forced Luna to walk backwards right in to the door of the rear carriage of the train. The carriage was only for storage. Luna was completely trapped.

Suddenly, Gray laughed loudly. Luna felt her fear increasing. Where was the Doctor?

"And guess what, Miss Edwards? Guess what!" Gray shouted.

Luna just shook her head.

"GUESS!"

"I-I don't know."

"The old fool wouldn't sell! He gave the land to the farmer who managed the land for him! The idiot! I killed a silly little girl for nothing!"

Luna leant against the door to the carriage, trembling with fear. Her only hope was to see the tall slim silhouette of the Doctor running to her rescue. Then, all in a blur, Gray put his gun away, grabbed Luna by the wrist and pushed her back in to the carriage. She stumbled backwards, falling on to her bottom. Gray stood at the door glaring manically at her.

"W-what are you doing now?" She asked, shaking.

"Now that you know my crimes," He replied coldly, "I need to prevent you from telling that whippet you call Doctor."

Then he held up a small glass vile. It looked like it was yellow but was actually filled with a yellow gas.

"What is that?" She asked.

"Beautiful stuff this, Hydrogen cyanide. Poisonous gas, even the Doctor won't be able to save you."

Luna's blue eyes widened. He then pulled out a handkerchief and held it over his mouth and nose.

"I hope you have pleasant dreams, Miss Edwards."

Then he slammed the vile on to the breaking the glass. He then dashed out of the carriage. Luna scrambled to her feet. She tried to chase after him. But the door was locked fast. Thinking quickly, she tried to open the windows but all of them were locked fast too. Luna was trapped, a poisonous gas slowly reaching her lungs.

"DOCTOR! HELP ME!"

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**The race in on, can the Doctor save Luna before its too late? To be continued...**


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who (I wouldn't be here other wise) or any of the locations mentioned in this story. Please enjoy.

Ghost train

Chapter 6

Back in the lounge, The Doctor was unaware of the danger Luna was in. But he had finally figured out the identity of the strange man he'd been watching. Gray Molyneux had been under the Time Lord's nose the whole time and now he had disappeared. The servant who had been talking to the Doctor had noticed the look of worry on his face and was confused.

"Sir," He asked, "Are you alright?"

"Not really, are you telling me that Gray Molyneux has been here the whole time."

"Yes sir. Properly came to face his demons."

"Did you see where he went?"

"No. Why is it important?"

Suddenly, one of the women on board screamed loudly, attracting the Doctor's attention.

"A REAL GHOST!" She screamed, "HELP!"

Everyone looked where the woman was pointing and could see the ghostly figure of Ruth Bennett. She looked anxious and looking for something.

"The Doctor, where is he?" She asked, urgently.

"I'm here." He called.

She floated rapidly to him and stopped in front of him. The servants and passengers couldn't believe their eyes. All the dismissive talk towards the ghost was now gone as they all stared at the ghost. Some of the staff was horrified to recognise the ghost. No one could take their eyes off her.

The only thing that had caught the Doctor's eye straight away was that the ghost was alone. Also the look of fear and worry on the ghost's expression was making the Time Lord more anxious than earlier.

"Ruth," He asked slowly, "Where is Luna?"

"She was talking to me, asking about Gray, when he appeared. He was carrying a gun and threatened her."

The Doctor's brown eyes widened as his heartbeats increased. Luna was in danger.

"Is she ok?" He asked.

"Gray forced her in to the storage carriage at the back of the train. I don't know what he's done to her. Oh Doctor, help her!"

Without hesitation, the Doctor went to sprint out of the room. But he only got to the door.

"You are going no where!"

The Doctor skidded to a stop as Gray stood at the doorway, gun aimed straight at him. The other passengers and the staff screamed and gathered as far away from the gun as possible. But the Doctor stayed where he was. At first, he looked stiff with fear but actually the fire the last of the Time Lords was notorious for was building. He glared straight in to Gray's eyes.

"Go on then," He said, coldly, "Do it."

The whole train, including Gray, stared at the Doctor as if he was mad.

Meanwhile, Luna was desperately trying to get out of the storage carriage. She banged her fists against the wood of the door as hard as she dare. But the gas was starting to take hold. It was getting increasingly hard to breathe, her head felt like it was spinning and her heart beats were racing.

"This can't be it," She thought to herself, "I still have loads of the universe to see."

But it was looking like the end.

"At least I've seen some brilliant thing and met the most incredible man in the universe. I just wish I had told him that I love him."

Suddenly, Luna heard footsteps from outside. She started to bang on the door again.

"Someone help me!"

"Miss Edwards, are you in there?" A female voice asked.

"Maria! Is that you?"

"Yes, Miss. Are you ok?"

"No, I need you to get the Doctor. He was heading to the lounge."

"Hold on, Miss. I'm on my way."

"Please hurry Maria!"

Maria could hear the fear in Luna's voice and the start of her crying. As quickly as she could, Maria jogged to the lounge. But as the serving girl went to get help, Luna collapsed to the floor.

Maria held the skirt to her dress off the floor as she ran to lounge. She wasn't sure why Luna was scared but clearly it required the Doctor to save her. As Maria approached the lounge, she saw Gray stood in the doorway, facing into the room. Then she saw the Doctor facing Gray with a steely look on his face. He looked furious. Then she saw the gun. The whole train was in danger. But she had to do something. Luna needed help. Then Maria got an idea. As she put her plan together, the Doctor and Gray continued their face off.

"What are waiting for?" The Doctor asked, "I'm unarmed. You could shoot me dead right now. So what's stopping you?"

"Don't you want me to confess?"

"Who said you have anything to confess?"

Gray spotted that the Doctor knew exactly what he meant. The glare the Doctor was giving was making him uncomfortable. The time lord wasn't speaking but it was clear that he was pressuring a confession out.

"ALRIGHT!" Gray finally shouted, "I killed Ruth Bennett. I crept up on her when she was asleep and strangled her. I wore gloves so that finger prints couldn't be found."

The lounge filled with horrified gasps from the passengers and the staff.

"And she didn't stand a chance," The Doctor growled, "She trusted you, loved you, and you abused that by killing her."

"Oh and she's only the first. Right now, you precious companion, Miss Edwards is trapped and about to die. Then you, my Doctor friend, are next on my list."

The anger inside the Doctor grew as time ticked on and Luna's life was depending on him. Then he saw Maria. She had a large metal serving tray in her hands. She had it ready to use. So now the Doctor had to distract Gray.

"There was something about you the moment I saw you," He said, "As everyone talked about murder and ghosts, I watched as you shifted and acted uncomfortable. Only a guilty person acts like that. I've seen so many people like you, getting away with crimes then acting cool when those crimes are mentioned. You know that you'll be arrested in Harrogate."

"Yes, so I may as well kill everyone I want to before I'm caught."

Suddenly, there was a metallic clang then Gray stumbled forward and to the left. The Doctor managed to snatch the gun from him and hand it to a servant. Then some of the male passengers grabbed Gray and held him firmly. Maria was left stood in the doorway, holding the serving tray, shocked at her own strength and bravery. Then she woke up.

"Doctor, follow me," She called, desperately, "Miss Edwards needs help."

"I'm coming." He replied.

Maria turned and ran as the Doctor followed her. It took them a few seconds to get there but when they did, the door was locked fast. There was no window on the door so they couldn't see whether Luna was ok.

"Luna! It's me!" The Doctor shouted.

There was no reply, making them both fear the worse. The Doctor dug out his sonic screwdriver and used it to open the door. As soon as it opened, a cloud of the yellow gas floated out. Maria and the Doctor started coughing.

"Maria, open all the windows."

"Yes sir."

Using a key, Maria was able to do as the Doctor asked. Meanwhile the Doctor found Luna, and his hearts almost broke.

Luna's unconscious form lay on the floor before him. She was lying on her side, her eyes tightly shut as if she was asleep. The Doctor crouched at her side and gently rolled her on to her back. He pulled out his stethoscope, put it in his ears and used it to check her heartbeat. She was barely alive and he was loosing her.

"No, Luna, don't do this to me," He called, choking back tears, "I'm not letting you go. Not yet!"

But what could he do? They were miles away from the TARDIS and from a hospital. It looked hopeless; the Doctor was loosing his companion fast. Then a thought crossed his mind. There was only one thing he could do to save her life. A small price would be paid but at least Luna would be alive. He put his stethoscope back then leaned forward until his lips touched Luna's. Then tenderly he kissed her. It was a long and tender kiss. Then as the Doctor finished kissing her, Luna's eyes opened with a start and she panted, getting her breath back. As she woke, the Doctor held her to comfort her. Once Luna had calmed, she looked up to meet the Doctor's beautiful big brown eyes. He hadn't let her down.

"Doctor," She gasped, "I nearly thought I never see you again."

"I can't believe you'd even doubt me," He smiled, "I'm glad you're ok though."

Luna then put her arms around him and hugged him firmly. She was safe now.


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who (I wouldn't be here other wise) or any of the locations mentioned in this story. Please enjoy.

Ghost train

Chapter 7

An hour later, the train pulled up at Harrogate station where a team of police officers stood on the platform waiting to arrest Gray Molyneux for murdering Ruth and for attempting to murder Luna. One of the train crew had telephoned ahead and reported the event to the police. The hydrogen cyanide gas was gone from the air and Luna was recovering from her near-death experience. The Doctor had helped her to a seat, sat her down and kept an arm around her shoulders for comfort. She was shaking slightly from shock and from the cold from being in the luggage carriage. She knew she was safe now though, tucked up against the Doctor. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder.

"How are you now?" He asked.

"Better," She sighed, "I just can't wait to get back to the TARDIS."

"We'll get back as quickly as possible."

There was silence as the Doctor watched his companion rest. It was a relief to see her safe and sound but there was no getting away from how different things could have been if he had got to her too late. The TARDIS would feel empty and the Doctor would be alone once again, leaving him to live with the guilt of loosing her. But right now she was safe.

As Luna regained her energy, Maria stepped in to the compartment. The Doctor looked to her and Luna opened her eyes.

"I came to see how you were, Miss." She explained.

"You can call me Luna, you know," Luna smiled, "Anyway, I'm ok now. Tired but I'll survive."

She then sat up and stood to face the serving girl.

"I have to thank you, Maria. I wouldn't be stood here if you hadn't been so brilliant."

"What? I don't believe I helped that much."

"If you hadn't come looking for me, the Doctor may have never got to me in time."

"And how you managed to knock Molyneux out with the tray was brilliant." The Doctor smiled.

Maria suddenly felt shy. Her cheeks blushed and a bashful smile appeared on her face. Then Luna stepped closer and hugged her new friend.

"I'd better get back to work," Maria said once the hug was over, "I hope to see you again."

"Me too" smiled Luna

Then Maria walked out and down the carriage. Luna sat back down, ready for the journey back home.

Once the police had got statements from all the staff and passengers, everyone was free to continue with their journeys. Although, the Doctor and Luna were now miles away from the TARDIS, the driver of the train was happy to let them travel back to York for free. They made themselves comfortable in a compartment. They took a side of seats each and settled down for some sleep. But Luna couldn't sleep. Although she was tired, there was something on her mind. She stood up and left the Doctor sleeping. She stepped out of compartment and walked through to carriage three. She was met with a very different atmosphere now than before. There was nothing eerie about the carriage now, it fact in felt warmer this time. Luna didn't feel nervous but this made her worry a little. Then she felt slight chill over her spine.

"Looking for me, I take it." A voice spoke.

Luna turned to see Ruth's ghost looking at her. She was surprised to see a relieved smile on the ghostly face.

"Ruth," She smiled softly, "I'm glad I found you."

"I'll say the same for you. I want to thank you, Luna, for helping to capture Gray. You and your Doctor are both extraordinary people."

"I'm glad we could help."

"Well, I must go. Now that justice has been done, I can finally rest in peace. Before I do though, make sure you take care of that Doctor of yours. He's a very special man."

"Don't worry, I figured that out a while ago."

"Farewell, Luna Edwards."

With that, Ruth's ghost vanished, leaving Luna standing in the carriage alone. The young brunette then headed back to her compartment to find the Doctor still asleep. He looked very sweet, with his eyes closed. She smiled to herself. Then she settled down on her makeshift bed and joined him in dream land.

A few hours later, the Doctor and Luna were finally back in York and had found the TARDIS. In all their time together, Luna could hardly remember being happier to see the blue box than she did right now. It was just a beacon of safety. The Doctor opened the door and let Luna enter first. He followed her, closing the door behind him. Neither of them had said much since stepping off the train.

"Are you alright?" He finally asked.

"Yeah," She smiled softly, "I feel much better now we're back here. But there is something that is bothering me."

"Oh yeah?"

"Back in the luggage carriage, you kissed me then I woke up. What exactly happened? I was as good as dead and I know that purely kissing someone can't revive them. So what did you do?"

They stared at each other intensely as Luna waited for the Doctor's reply. As she gazed in to his lovable brown eyes, she felt as is time had stopped.

"The kiss was a way of transferring some of my life force in to your body," the Doctor finally said, "I gave up some my life to bring you back to life."

"H-how much of your life?"

"Oh, about six years. Don't worry. That doesn't mean that you only have six years to live."

Luna was completely stunned. The Doctor had sacrificed some of his life so that she could carry on living. It brought tears to Luna's eyes.

"You did that for me? Why?"

"I just couldn't let you die. You're so special."

Luna smiled emotionally as they embraced with a warm tender hug. Luna couldn't help but smile to herself.

'Sometimes, I'm just too lucky.'

Maybe this luck will run out one day…

**THE END**

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**Thank you to everyone for reading and to those of you who reviewed this story. It has been very fun writing this story. Anyway, see you all soon.**


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